Flexible protective footwear with rear support-providing closure means



April 18, 1950 c. w. Ll-:GulLLoN 2,504,705

FLEXIBLE PROTECTIVE FooIwEAR WITH REAR SUPPORT-PROVIDING cLosURE MEANS Filed Feb. 1, 194e mba- "Ibex/ss L/:fsguzY/pn Patented Apr. 18, 1950 salgas FLEXIBLE PROTECTIVE FOOTWEAR WITH REAR SUPPORT-PROVIDING CLOSURE MEANS' Charles W. Leguillon, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 1, 1946, Serial No. 644,913

' (c1. arr-7.3)

' 6 Claims. l

This invention relates to protective footwear and especially to overshoes, galoshes, arctics, boots and the like having fluid-sealing slitted openings at the rear walls thereof.

Prior constructions of such articles of footwear, for example galoshes closed at the rear and having an opening at the front for insertion and withdrawal of the wearers foot, havegenerally been objectionably heavy and uncomfortable in use, have lacked convenience of donning and removing, and also have lacked desirable lightweight and flexibility of construction and compactness for packaging, storage and portability purposes in addition to lacking comfort, especially with respect to pumping of the shoe Within the galosh in the act of walking. Galoshes having split walls for admitting the foot of the wearer have generally resorted to the expedient of tongues or webs in conjunction with spaced-apart buckles, or buttons, or strap fasteners for closing the margins of the opening, which often has resulted in unsightliness and a cumbersome relatively inflexible closure construction and also in relatively ineffective sealing against the entrance of snow and water and other foreign matter.

Prior footwear constructions without rear Wall openings for donning and dofilng purposes have had their inner surfaces soiled by soiling material such, for example, as dirt, mud, and oil deposited on the inner surfaces by the shoe of the wearer, especially during the donning, which soiling material has in turn objectionably soiled the stockings and trouser of the wearer and also the hands upon contact therewith as in the acts of walking and handling the footwear.

An object'of the invention is to provide a foot covering which will fully protect the shoe and at least part of the leg of the wearer and which will reduce to a minimum or avoid entirely the foregoing and other objections, disadvantages and dimculties of the prior constructions.

Other objects of the invention are to provide for convenience of packaging, storage, and donning and removing the footwear; and to these ends to provide for extensive flexibility and yieldability of wall portions of the protective footwear; to provide for permitting relatively free flexing and yielding of said wall portions at appropriate zones thereof during ambulation ofthe wearer; to provide for a rear wall construction of the footwear which, without being permanently form-fitting, accommodates itself to the contour of the shod foot and leg of the wearer without objectionable pressure during ambulatory movement, and at the same time resists effectively "pumping of the shOe within the footwear; to provide a slitted-opening construction at said rear wall having effective f having simplicity of construction and economy of materials, attractive appearance, light-weight and high wall-flexibility characteristics; and to provide for convenience of manufacture and for effectiveness of operation of the closure.

- More specific objects are to provide a galosh adapted for use with footwear for man, woman and children of a variety of styles such, for example, as oxfords, pumps, slippers, high-heel or French heel shoes, heel-less shoes, high-top shoes and other commercial styles of footwear and adapted for affording effective protection whatever the style of footwear therein; to provide a galosh having a slittedopening rear Wall construction including an effectively Water-tight slide fastener closure; to provide for coaction of the closure with other parts adjacent the slit to ei'- fect a resilient beam-like stiffening or resilient stay action along the slitted-opening; and to provide for protection of the slide fastener closure especially at the heel portion of the galosh.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a galosh constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the galosh showing the accommodation of the rear Wall construction to the contour of the leg and shoe therein,

Fig. 3 is a side view showing the galosh in a compactly folded condition as for packaging purposes,`

Fig. 4 is a view from above of the galosh in the fully opened condition for donning purposes showing the downwardly, outwardly, and forwardly folding of wall portions of the galosh, parts being broken away,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line l-l of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a sectional View in an enlarged scale taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 7 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view in a. reduced scale of thegalosh.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention 4comprises a galosh III having generally a body II having upper walls of light-weight, extensively exible, substantially impervious material and having a relatively light-weight, flexible outsole A or bottom I2 including a shank portion I3 andl a he'el portion Il, the outsole I2 being preferably lof abrasion-resistant, age-resistant and flexible rubber orf other rubber-like material and having desirably a suitable non-slip surface configuration I2a. The body II is constructed to enclose a shoe and part of the leg of the wearer and comprises a boot-like leg portion I5 including at its lower region a heel covering portion I8,

which comprises aportion covering the sides and pervious material secured to the material of the portions I5 and I1 as by a suitable adhesive, orv

sewing, orboth.

The respective upper wall portions I5, I1 each includes, preferably though not necessarily, a lining I9,- I9a desirably of single-ply, light-weight, elastic fabric extensible at least in one direction. such, for example, as stockinette or other knitted or woven fabric of cotton, rayon, nylon or other suitable i'llamentary material. Preferably, the leg portion I5 and the toe portion II are each of onepiece lining construction facilitating simplicity of construction, and are joined at their juncture as by an overlapping joint and secured together as by a suitable adhesive, or sewing, or both. i

The one-piece lining of the leg portion I5 facilitates the provision of a slitted opening at 20. For maximum convenience of donning and doing, the slitted opening is disposed at a position 4rearwardly of the front of the galosh I0 and the slitted opening at may be disposed advantageously at the middle of the rear portion of the galosh which latter disposition is highly convenient for donning and dofng and may be accomplished with minimum interference of fiexure during walking and with effectively holding the galosh on the foot despite the highly flexible and collapsible nature of the upper wall portions. i

At the rear portion of the galosh I Il a continuous slitted opening at 20, preferably along a vertical median line, extends from the upper edge or top at 22 of the leg portion down to substantially the heel Il, as shown especially in Figs. 1

and 4, thus providing an unobstructed full-length entrance at the rear of the galosh. The arrangement wholly eliminates the .frictional resistance of the rear portion of the galosh to movement of the shoealong the leg portion during the donningv and removing of the galosh as is characterized by prior galosh constructions not having a slitted construction at the rear portion thereof, which frictional resistance during entrance and withdrawal of the shoe from the galosh is aggravated in cases where the shoe has a rubber or rubbertipped heel.

The rear opening arrangement avoids objectionable soiling of the inner surfaces of theupper wall portions of the galosh by soilingmaterial on the shoe deposited on the inner surfaces during donning and doillng of the galosh thereby avoiding objectionable soiling of the hands, stock- .ings and trouser of the wearer.

The one-piece construction of 'the respective leg and toe portions I5, I1 further provides for economy of materials and convenience of manufacture and in addition facilitates the provision of the desired exibility combined with stretchability of the upper walls of the galosh. In the preferred construction the lining I! of the leg portion I5 is disposed, as shown especially in Fig. 7, in a manner -such that the wales I 9c of the stockinette material extend longitudinally along the leg portion' and the courses I9d of the stockinette material extend circumferentially about the leg portion for'providing vthe desired continuity of transverse or circumferential stretchability of the leg portion withlittle or no longitudinal stretchability.` The lining Isa ofthe toe portion I1 is arranged such that the wales of the stockinette material also extend longitudinally of the toe portion and substantially in con: tinuatlon o f the longitudinal direction of the wales in the leg portion and the courses of the stockinette material of the toe portion extend transversely of the toe portion. The arrangement of the lining I9, I9a at the leg and toe portions I5, I1 not only facilitatesrthe provision of the desired extent of flexibility and stretchability, but assures the provision of a relatively snug t with the shoe df the wearer, especially from the region of the shank I3 forwardly to the toe of the galosh, while aiso assuring the provision of high flexing and stretching action of the walls of the leg portion for rearward contour conformance purposes and for convenience of donning and removing the galosh without objectionable soiling of the hands andlining. v

A substantiallyY uniform continuous covering layer I9b of highly extensible, resilient rubber or other rubber-like material may be applied to the fabric lining I9, I9a for fluid-tightness and other purposes. The rubber and fabric construction provides the galosh with extensibility while' also providing adequate strength of construction and good waterproofing. The covering layer I9b which has ldesirably flex-cracking and age-refsistance characteristics, may be suitably colored for presenting an attractive appearance, and also may have a plain or ornamental surface design for appearance purposes.

To the end of detachably uniting adjacent margins 21, 28 of the slitted opening at 20 at the leg portion I5, the invention provides a slide fastener closure 2| of the lip-action sealing type, which closure 2l facilitates the provision of durable, light-weight protective footwear inasmuch as clasps or buttons as used in prior constructions are not only unsightly and -inconvenient-t0 operate, but also gape and prevent the desired t. Even more important, such clasps or buttons do not evenly distribute the strain as is required in 'Such sealing slide fastener closure 2| further performs additional advantageous functions, espe. cially with respect to the provision of sufficient resilient stiffness at the leg portion to maintain a snug t at the heel portion I6 and to adequately maintain the leg portion I5 in an upright condition despite the highly flexible and collapsible nature of the upper walls of the galosh I0. The

'rubber layer lsb, preferably, is of such .thickness as to avoid oblectionably reducing the high stretchability of the lining and detracting from the light-weight character of the article.

In addition to the above advantages, the sealing closure 2| in cooperation with adjacent parts of the galosh further facilitates the provision of the desired resilient beam-like stiffening or resilient stay action along the rear portion of the galosh at the slitted opening at for the accommodation and the conformance of the loosefitting leg portion I5 to the contour of the shoe and leg of the wearer during ambulatory movement, whereby objectionable pumping or upand-down movement of the shod foot relative to the galosh is resisted effectively, and `for resilient- 1y supporting and adequately maintaining the leg portion in an upright condition despite the highly collapsible nature ofthe walls thereof.

The sealing closure 2| extends continuously from the heel I4 to the top at 22 of the leg portion I5 for providing effective continuity of sealing along the slitted opening. The closure 2| includes fabric stringers 23, 24 having relatively thin rubber coatings 25, 26 at the outer face thereof for assuring sealing throughout the extent of the stringers, which latter may be attached to the adjacent margins 21, 28 of the leg portion I5 at the outer surface thereof as by a suitable rubber cement, or sewing, or both, as shown especially in Fig. 6. Opposing series of cooperating fastener elements or teeth 29, 30 are attached at the edges of the adjacent margins of the stringers 23, 24. A runner 3| in sliding engagement with the fastener elements 29, 30 engages and disengages said elements by sliding movement along the aforesaid series of fastener elements.

For effecting the desired water-tight sealing along the slitted opening, sealing strip elements 32 and 33 of suitable resilient rubber material may be mounted on the stringers in close proximity to the ends of the fastener elements, and, preferably, are mounted directly upon the fastener elements at their ends, as shown especially in Fig. 6, which elements are generally L-shaped in cross-section providing a base portion vulcanized and adhered to the fastener elements and providing marginal portions tapering to edges and projecting laterally from the base portions toward one another, which marginal portions are positionable in `overlapping and contacting relation for sealing effectively by lip-action of said edges. The sealing element 33 at the tapered portion presents av sealing surface against which the edge of the tapered marginal portion of the sealing element 32 is held in resiliently flexed contact for the closed condition of the closure. The base portion of each sealing element 32, 33

in addition to being mounted directly upon and bridging end portions of the fastener elements thus assuring a resilient beam-like or resilient stay stiifening and flexing action of each sealing element, may also be mounted in part upon the adjacent fabric Stringer so that the rubber material of the sealing element is in unbroken continuation of the rubber coating on the Stringer, thereby assuring effective sealing action throughout the extent of the sealing closure, both longitudinally and laterally thereof.

This resilient beam or stay supplied by the rubber strip elements 32, 33 and the teeth 29, 30

serves to stiffen the wall of the upper laterally yet permit flexure of the Wall in the fore and aft direction of the galosh so that the upper of the galosh may be compactly folded against the bottom of the latter. as shown especially in Fig.

3, and in addition may be supported upright yet flexed fore and aft at the rear part of the upper in a manner so that relative slippage between the galosh and the wearers shoe is avoided, as shown especially in Figs. 1 and2.

The sealing closure 2| is arranged so that the fastener elements overlie the margins 29 and 30 of the opening in the leg portion at the outer surface of the latter and afford backing support of the margins 29, 30, the opening at 20 preferably coinciding with the longitudinal centerline of the closure 2|, as shown especially in Figs. 5 and 6. In this manner for the closed condition of the galosh, the inner surfacev of the leg portion I5 has substantially smooth continuity circumferentially without objectionable bulging at the closure 2| as has been characteristic in prior constructions having tongues or webs for closing purposes.

For facilitating the entrance and removal of .the shoe from the galosh and for cooperating with the slide fastener closure 2|, the heel portion I6 is provided with a divided reinforcement 34, 35 narrow in width. The respective parts 34 and 35 of the divided reinforcement are constructed and arranged such that their upper margins 36, 31 at the rear of the galosh are curvingly shaped such as to define a generally V- shaped zone at the rear part of the portion I6 intermediate such margins and relatively unreinforced, the apex of the V being at the heel I4, as shown especially in Fig. 1, whereby relatively free flexing of the heel portion at said zone is permitted to assure a full-length spreadingapart action of the closure 2| and leg portion I5, as shown especially in Fig. 4.

'I'he sealing elements 32 and 33 at the closed end at 38 of the slide fastener closure 2| are de sirably secured adhesively together at the marginal portions of said sealing elements and may merge and be united integrally with a suitable rubber end closure element 39. spaced-apart ridge-like protective elements 40, 4| of suitable resilient rubber material integrally united with the rubber coating 25, 26 on the fabric stringers may be provided at the respective sides of the sealing elements 32, 33 at the closed end at 38 of the sealing closure 2| for protecting and additionally assuring maintaining the sealing elements in the desired lip-sealing arrangement by a coacting resilient stiffening action with such sealing elements and adjacent parts of the slide fastener closure 2|, while permitting the desired freedom of flexure of the walls of the heel portion I6. In the preferred construction, the stiffening elements 40 and 4| are relatively short but, if desired, may extend further along the sealing closure or even the full length of the latter. However, good results have been accomplished, particularly with respect to the forwardly and rearwardly directed resilient beamlike flexing action of the sealing closure, when the stiffening elements 40 and 4| extend upwardly no higher than the upper margins 36, 31 of the divided reinforcement, as shown in Fig. 1, and disposed immediately at the closed end at 38 of the sealing closure.

By virtue of the extensive flexibility and collapsibility characteristics of the leg portion I5, the action of the reinforcing members 34, 35 at the heel portion |6, and the construction and arrangement of the sealing closure 2| along the slitted opening at 2D extending the full length of the rear of the leg portion I5 and adequately and resiliently maintaining the leg portion in the upright condition, the leg portion readily accommodates itself to substantial flexing and distortion during ambulatory movement and without breaking the lip-sealing action along the closure.

Assuming the closed condition of thel galosh with the shod foot of a man within the galosh and a trouser leg 42 disposed part way within the leg portion I5, as shown especially'in Figs. 1 and 2. and during ambulatory movement, the sides of the leg portion readily iiex in accordance with the stresses imposed thereon by the relative movement between the foot and the leg of the wearer in the course of the ambulatory movement. The relative pivotal movement between the foot and the leg at the ankle region tends to cause -the rear top portion of the leg portion l5 to move forwardly in the direction of the toe of the galosh substantiallyv into pressing contact with the leg of .the wearer, while at the same time the heel of the shod foot tends to press against and move the heel portion I6 immediately at the region of the closed end at 38 of the sealing closure in the opposite direction, the heel portion I6 being seated substantially against the heel of the shod foot.

The slide fastener closure 2| including the sealing elements, upon the application of pressure as described hereinabove at the top of the galosh and at the heel of the latter under the ambulatory and pivotal movement of the foot, tends to function in the manner of a resilient beam supported solely at its ends and loaded intermediate the ends. The sealing closure 2| including the adjacent rearward parts of the flexible leg portion |5 ex inwardly in the direction of the toe of the galosh in a manner conforming closely to the 'contour of the heel of the shoe and substantially into contact with the rear of -the leg of the wearer immediately above the counter or the top of the shoe, as shown especially in Fig. 2. The resiliency of the material and length of the slitted opening atthe rear of the galosh in combination with eecting a resilient flexing and bending action alongthe closure for the conformance at all times to the contour of the shoe and the leg of the wearer without objectionable restricting action to ambulatory movement and without objectionable pumping" by 35 and such strip 43, 44 may terminate short of 'the immediate toe region but in overlapping relation with a toe cap reinforcement 45 of suitable square-woven fabric. The foxing strips 43, 44 and the toe cap reinforcement 45 are each relatively narrow in width and serve advantageously to maintain in a substantially upright position relative to the outsole I2 the adjacent lower wall portion of the leg portion I5 and the toe portion |I and 'coact in this respect with the divided reinforcement for similarly supporting the heel portion I6. Such maintenance of the lower wall portions adjacent the sole and heel of the galosh is desirable in facilitating the donning of the galosh. The galosh also may be provided with an insole lining 46 of relatively heavy coarsely woven cotton fabric, for example, adhesively secured to the resilient beam-like bending action of the v sealing elements 32, 33 accomplished by virtue of their construction and arrangement with the closure 2| facilitate resilientlyy flexing and maintaining the` rear portion of the leg portion I5 substantially in relatively close conformance with the contour of the shod foot despite the loose-fitting highly collapsible construction of the leg portion I5. Such advantageous maintenance of the. galosh in conformance with changes in contour during the ambulatory movement prevents effectively an objectionable pumping action by the shod foot without requiring a permanently foot-conforming shape. The sealing elements 32, 33, which are mounted directly on the fastener elements 29, 30, maintain y effectively the seal continuously along the slide fastener closure 2| despite the relatively exten- 1 sive flexing and bending action occurring along the rear of the leg portion I5 during the ambulatory movement.

The highly flexible characteristics of the wall Y of the leg portion I5 and the construction and the inside of the outsole I2.

In the operation of the galosh when in the closed condition, as shown especially in Figs. 1 and 2, the runner 3| is manipulated downwardly toward the heel I'4 fully opening the closure 2| and rear portion of the leg portion I5. For convenience of donning, the leg portion I5 may be spread open widely by exing and folding over the walls downwardly, outwardly and forwardly to substantially the condition and arrangement shown especially in Fig. 4, the highly flexible nature of the upper facilitating this. For such folded-over condition, the folded wall portions at opposite sides of the galosh may be grasped by the hands of the wearer without objectionable soiling and the shod foot inserted through the greatly extended rear opening, while the lower walls of the galosh adjacent the outsole I2 and heel I4 are maintained substantially upright, thereby facilitating the free entrance of the shod foot fully Within the galosh. The folded and exed leg portion I5 may then be conveni ently returned to its upright position encircling the ankle and, if desired, about the trouser of' the wearer, whereupon the runner 3| may be actuated in the direction towards the top of the leg portion closing the sealing slide fastener throughout the entire length of the slitted opening at 20 in the galosh, the sealing lips of the closure effectively preventing the entrance of objectionable snow and water. With the foot and part of the leg of the wearer thus enclosed and protectedby the galosh, flexure of the foot relative to the leg during ambulatory movement.

causes iiexing of the leg portion I5 and also exing by a resilient beam-like action along the sealing closure 2| and adjacent parts of the galosh, whereby the rear portionof the galosh, especially at the region of the heel I4 and immediately thereabove, conforms closely to the con.

tour of the shod foot, while maintaining eifecltive lip-sealing action despite such iiexure and in addition preventingobjectionable up and down relative movement between the galoshand the shod foot, in other words, 'objectionable "pump- I ing. I Ilor removing the shod foot, the slide .fastener closure is manipulated in the manner to open the galosh throughout the full extent of the slitted opening at and the foot then may be readily withdrawn from within the confines of the galosh through the slitted opening which maybe extended in the manner described hereinabove.

'For convenience of storage and packaging purposes, the slide fastener closure may be placed in' the closed condition and then, by virtue of the construction and arrangement of the divided reinforcement and foxing strips together with the extensive flexibility of the walls of the galosh I0, and the resiliently flexible nature of the closure, the leg portion l5 may be foldedforwardly into overlapping relation with the toe portion I1 substantially in the manner shown in Fig. 3, thereby providing acompact folded condition of the galosh. It is thus apparent that a pair of galoshes, constructed in accordance with the invention and placed in the folded compacted condition, may be packaged in superimposed relation to one another and occupy a relatively small space facilitating the pair being placed in a fabric container, for example, for carrying purposes or in a suitable relatively small package I.

for storage and display purposes.

Variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as it is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A galosh comprising a bottom including a heel portion, an upper extending to above angle height and in a loose-fitting manner at and above the ankle, said upper being of flexible material inherently collapsible of its own weight and including a counter reinforcement of relatively stiff material at the sides of said heel portion of a height gradually increasing forwardly of 'the rearmost part of said portion providing upwardly and forwardly diverging rear edges of said reinforcement, said upper being divided at the rear thereof between said edges of the reinforcement substantially from said bottom to the top margin of said upper, flexible slide fastener means including interlocking teeth secured to the margins of the divide from the bottom to the top thereof for separably joining such margins, a strip element of resilient rubber material secured to each of said margins at said teeth along the extent thereof and each strip having a closing portion extending toward the other strip ina manner to contact and overlap one another face to face in the closed condition of the fastener means, said fastener means together with the overlapping strips in said closed condition acting together as a resilient hollow beam to support the erally parallel therewith and'between said edges of said reinforcement, said ridge elements each projecting rearwardly to an extent not less than that of' said strip elements to protect the latter.

3. A galosh as defined in'claim l in which said flexible material of the upper comprise a thin impervious outer layer of resilient rubber-material united with an inner lining of .elastic fabric material having greater stretchability around the galosh transverselythereof than longitudinally thereof for facilitating downward and forward ilexure of said upper, said lining at said margins of the divide of the upper having a disposition underlying said teeth with the adjacent edges of said lining in edgewise abutting relation in the closed condition of the galosh to protect the wearers shoe and legA against direct contact with said teeth while providing continuity of smooth inner surface of the upper across said margins thereof.

4. A galosh as defined in claim 1 in which said fastener means includes flexible stringers united with said margins of the divide and has said teeth on said stringers, and in which said strip elements include base portions extending along and mounted in part on said stringers and in part on said teeth and projecting rearwardly from said stringers, said closing portions of the strips extending from said base portions toward one another and tapering to edges for contacting one another in sealing relation by lip-action flexure of one of said edges against the other closing portion.

5. A galosh comprising a bottom including a heel portion, an upper extending to above ankle height and being of flexible collapsible material and including a counter reinforcement of relatively stiff material at the sides of said heel portion of a height gradually increasing forwardly of the rearmost part of said portion providing upwardly and forwardly diverging rear edges of said reinforcement, said upper being divided at the rear thereof between said edges of the reinforcement substantially from said bottom to the top collapsible upper upright while permitting flexing action of the rear portion of the galosh to conform to the rear of the wearers shoe for resisting slippage, and by virtue of the flexibility of the fastener means and the individual flexibility of the overlapping strips permitting said upper in the closed condition to be flexed at the rear of the heel portion and folded forwardly to a substantially flat condition against said bottom.

2. A galosh as defined in claim 1 in which protective ridge elements of resilient rubber material project rearwardly from the faces of said margins of the divide of said upper at each side of and spaced from the strip elements and extend genmargin of said upper, flexible slide fastener means including interlocking teeth secured to the margins of the divide from the bottom to the top thereof for separably joining such margins, said margins of the divide'having closing portions of resilient rubber material coextensive with said margins and projecting each toward the other in a manner to contact and overlap the other face to face in the closed condition of the fastener means, said fastener means together with said closing portions of said margins of the divide by virtue of the interlocking of said teeth in the closed condition a-cting together as a resilient hollow beam to support upright the collapsible material of the upper while by virtue of the flexibility of the fastener means and the individual ilexibility of the overlapping closing portions permitting flexing action of the rear portion of the galosh to conform to the rear of the wearers shoe for resisting slippage, and permitting said upper in the closed condition to be flexed at the rearof the heel portion and folded forwardly to a substantially flat conditionagainst said bottom.

6. A galosh comprising a bottom including a heel portion, an upper extending to above ankle height and being of flexible collapsible material and including a counter reinforcement of relatively stiff material at the sides of said heel portion of a height gradually increasing forwardly of the rearmost part of said portion providing upwardly and forwardly diverging rear edges of said reinforcement, said upper being divided at the rearthereof between said edges of the reinforcement substantially from said bottom to the top margin of said upper. ilexible slide fastener means including .interlocking teeth secured to the margins of the divide from the bottomto the top thereof for separably'joining such margins, said margins of the divide having closing portions of resilient rubber material .coextensive with said margins'an'd projecting each toward the other Vin a manner to contact and overlap the -other face to face in the closed condition of the fastener means, one of said closing portions tapering to to conform to the rear of the wearers shoe for resisting slippage and permitting said upper in the closed condition to be flexed at the rear of l the heel portion and folded forwardly to a subltantially flat condition against said bottom. f CHARLES W. LEGUILLON.

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